The Round Robin

A Newsletter for the Robbins Families of Southern Indiana and their Descendants

now in our second year of publication!

Vol. Two No. Four

April & May 1999

In this issue:

Smoke and Cinders
T-Shirts Anyone?
Reunion News
Family Poetry
The Genealogy Page

 

From the e-mail bag:
Smoke and Mirrors

Louie Robbins, Jr. e-mailed us about an interesting web site which has several pictures of North Vernon and railroad accidents that occurred in the area including pictures of the B & O Depot and the train wreck on July 20, 1957. If you are interested in railroads and North Vernon area history, the site advertises a book "Through The Smoke and Cinders" by Richard Tracy. The book has 139 pages and 33 vintage photographs. Cost of the book is $19 plus $2.50 shipping and handling. For more info, check out the site at www.atticchest.com or write to Attic Chest, 2428 W. Ohio Street, Chicago, IL 60612 c/o R. O. Tracy.

T-Shirts, Anyone? - Enter Your Design !

 

It was suggested last year that we have Family T-shirts made up. Well, time got away from us and before we knew it the reunion was upon us. This year we are starting early! We have checked out the cost, colors, etc.

Now we need a design for the shirt!

We need suggestions for what design to use. We would like something that would reflect the Robbins-Davidson family. All of you artistic people out there are invited to send us your ideas. (Note: Design will be one color.)

The t-shirts are Fruit of the Loom, 50/50 cotton-poly blend, available in sizes Small through XXX-Large, in the following colors: White, Ash, Black, Hunter, Navy, Red or Royal Blue.

Cost is $9.50 for sizes Small through X-Large, $11.00 for sizes XX-large and XXX-large. Cost includes postage.

Orders and payment must be received by August 1, 1999. Sorry, we can't accept e-mail or electronic orders, but you can e-mail us to get additional ordering information or with your design suggestions.

Availability of the T-shirts is subject to family interest and an appropriate design, so share your ideas with us as soon as you can!

You're Invited!

The ROBBINS-DAVIDSON Reunion

The annual Robbins-Davidson family reunion will be Saturday, September 11, 1999. The reunion committee will be sending out more information as the time draws near, but be sure to mark the date on your calendar now!

The Comfort Inn is now open in North Vernon for those who will need a place to stay overnight. Really convenient. Perhaps we could get a meeting room so all of us can visit the Friday evening before the reunion? Somthing to consider.

Family Poetry

From "Poems of Life" by Robert G. West

Springtime on the Farm

Pappy got up in the middle of the night
I looked outside there was no light,
He yelled "Son, go throw down the hay
Spring is here, let's start the day"
Had a rough night too.

"Get the milking done and look at the sow
While I gas up and hook to the plow
We'll start on that field we're putting in corn"
I think to myself, Why was I born?
What a life.

I go to the barn, I'm sleepy and tired
The durn fool cows are still sleeping hard
They're probably thinking, this crazy kid
Getting up at midnight, he's flipping his lid.
And they are right.

But this is the way a farmer reaches his goal
But the first spring day just kills my soul
But the first day is always the worst
It will make you a man if it don't kill you first.
Glad I'm draft age.

Spring Fever

 

Mammy's cutting off our old blue jeans
and she's even hunting mustard greens,
She's felt spring warm breath,
She's had me raking in the yard,
durned thing still is frozen hard.
She's freezing me to death.

And my Pappy's digging bait
I suppose he can't wait
or he's caught the fever too.
But the worms he's got don't look so hot,
They look so stiff and blue.

I try to reason
that they're rushing the season,
But I can't tell them a thing.
But this is nothing new,
it's the way they do,
every dog gone spring.

The Genealogy Page

Guest host this month: Earl G. Robbins

This edition we feature an article by Earl G. Robbins which recounts his life in Needmore, Indiana, shortly after World War I. Earl gives us a lot of insight into the details of every day life at that time as well as his emotions and those of his family. For the full text of Love, Work, and Hope Saved Us, follow this link

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Look for our next edition over the Summer!